About the Conference
This meeting will bring scholars, students, politicians, journalists and other stakeholders together to discuss the ethical, political legal, societal and environmental aspects of space exploration.
The meeting is co-organised by the European Astrobiology Institute and the Society for Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology. The organisers reserve the right to refuse participants. We also stress that visa invitations will only be issued to presenters invited by the organisers.
The conference will take place at Malmfälten Adult Education Centre in Kiruna, Sweden. Kiruna is 300 km north of the arctic circle and home to the Swedish ESRANGE Space Center and Rocket Range. This promises to be a conference to remember, as it takes place during Lapland’s beautiful Indian Summer, which offers good prospectives for viewing the Northern Lights, and features tours of the Space Center and other local attractions along with an interesting and highly interdisciplinary program.
Experts from every discipline interested in exploring the many complex social and ethical questions raised by space exploration and the search for life on other planets are invited to attend the first joint meeting of the two major groups devoted to this end. We welcome submissions addressing any of the many “broader questions” in astrobiology and space exploration such as:
- Commercial activity in space
- Human colonization of other worlds
- The true nature of “life”’
- Emerging issues in space law
- Ethical questions regarding the search for extraterrestrial life and intelligence
- Balancing diverse cultural perspectives in space research
- Space Mining and ownership of space “resources”
- First Contact protocols
- “Pollution” in the context of space
- Societal and religious implications of a possible discovery of extraterrestrial life
- Fictional portrayals of space
This year, we are very fortunate to have two excellent keynote speakers:
Dr. Erika Nesvold has published two books on space, ethics, and social justice: Off-Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space, authored by her and published by MIT Press, is adapted and updated from my Making New Worlds podcast. Reclaiming Space: Progressive and Multicultural Visions of Space Exploration, from Oxford University Press, is an anthology she has co-edited with James Schwartz and Linda Billings.
Dr. Tony Milligan from Kings College, London. Dr. Milligan’s research focuses on otherness: other humans, other creatures, other places and how the shift between here and there alters our sense of what matters. His work in space ethics includes Nobody Owns the Moon: The Ethics of Space Exploitation (MacFarland, 2015) and the co-edited volume The Ethics of Space Exploration (Springer, 2016).
You are very welcome to submit an abstract uof around 250 words for a presentation or poster (please specify in your email) by June 15, 2024 to EAI chair (wgeppert@fysik.su.se) and the program chair, Kelly Smith (kcs@clemson.edu). Graduate students are especially encouraged to apply. Deadline for abstract submission is June 15th, 2024.
A limited number of bursaries for students and early career scholars (up to 8 years from their first Ph. D. in a related field) from US and EAI institutions (see a list here) will be available. Those bursaries imply:
- refund for the registration fee including lunches and coffee breaks
- refund for accommodation in Malmfaelten Adult Learning Centre
- refund for participation in the excursion on Wednesday 25th
Please specify in your email if you want to apply for a bursary. A list of the EAI participating entities can be found here. Membership in one of the Working Groups or Project Teams alone does NOT entitle you to the EAI participating institution fee.
The Venue
Kiruna, located some 200 miles north of the arctic circle, is home to the Swedish Estrange Space Center and Rocket Range. At this time of year, attendees should be able to see both splendid fall colors as well as the Northern Light.
The best option is to fly to Kiruna. Kiruna has an airport (IATA code: KRN) with 2 daily flights. You can take the train to Kiruna but it takes around 15 hours from Stockholm. Please note that the railway station of Kiruna has shifted due to the replacement of the city. There are also long-range buses going to Kiruna. To use those options, however only pays when you are planning a longer stay in Sweden with some stop-overs. From Kiruna Station it is best to take a taxi. You can book a taxi with Taxi Kiruna (++46-(0)980-12020)
Accommodation
Malmfälten Adult Education Centre
Malmfälten Adult Education Centre offers different forms of accommodation in our total of 39 rooms. Bed linen, towels and final cleaning are always included in the price. TV and WC are available in all rooms. Many rooms also have private showers. Free internet connection and free parking for our guests. Access to sauna and shared kitchen / living room for self-catering and pleasant get-togethers exists. At the hotel you stay comfortably in one of our 18 rooms.
Choose between single, double and triple rooms (works as an alcove room – that is, with a single room in the double room) Private toilet / shower and TV are in the room. Free Wifi available. All rooms are ready on arrival. And beds are made. Prices range from EUR 70 – EUR 90,- for single rooms and EOR 120,- – 140,- for double rooms (per room). Breakfast is included.
Please contact the hotel directly (email: maria.andersson@kiruna.fhsk.se or malmfaltens@kiruna.fhsk.se, phone: ++46-(0)-980 675 00 ) and mention the booking number 62925 (Stockholms universitet). You will then get an offer. Deadline for room booking is 15 July 2024. Thereafter, accommodation cannot be guaranteed.
Hotel Camp Ripan
The 90 hotel rooms of Camp Ripan are cosy cabins with private entrances. It includes cable TV, telephone, internet access, bathroom with shower, WC and hairdryer. The kitchen area has a table and chairs, and the pantry is equipped with refrigerator, electric kettle, microwave oven, two cooking plates, pots and pans, plates, utensils, cups, glasses and cork screw.
You can park your automobile right outside the cabin and in winter you rent an electrical outlet for a block heater at our general parking area. InCharge offers eight charging stations for electric vehicles outside the main building, payment is done using their app.
The price for a single person in a hut is SEK 1592,- per night (~ EUR 140). For two persons in a hut it is SEK 1772,- per hut (~EUR 160) and night. Prices include room cleaning. There are also huts for up to 4 people. Early booking is recommended for those!
Booking the room contact the hotel per e-.mail (bokning@ripan.se) giving the reference number: 433258.
Deadline for room booking is 15 July 2024. Thereafter, accommodation cannot be guaranteed.
Programme and Excursions
The program starts Monday September, 23rd in the morning and ends on Wednesday September, 25th in the evening.
On Wednesday 25th we will organize a half day’s excursion to the visitors centre at the ESRANGE Rocket Launch Centre and the Sami (indigenous) Open Air Museum at Jukkasjärvi, along with a traditional Northern Swedish dinner.
On Thursday, 26th September we will organise a full day excursion to Kiruna Iron mine and Abisko National Park. The excursion fee of EUR 170,- will include:
- Guided visit to Kiruna Iron Mine
- Lunch
- Visit to Abisko Sami camp
- Visit to Abisko Nature Centre
- Wandring tour to Abisko Canyon
- Possibility to see the Northern Light
In case of bad weather we will offer an alternative programme. If you want to participate, please
- Drop Wolf a line (wgeppert@fysik.su.se)
- Reserve an extra night at your accommodation from 6th to 7th July
Deadline for abstract submission is the 15 June 2024. Deadline for Registration AND accommodation booking (which has to be done individually by participants directly with the hotels) will be 15 July 2024.
€100
Registration for Students
Affiliated with EAI participating institutions and members of SSOCIA
€150
Registration for Scholars
Affiliated with EAI participating institutions and members of SSOCIA
€150
Registration for Students
NOT affiliated with EAI participating institutions and members of SSOCIA
€250
Registration for Scholars
NOT affiliated with EAI participating institutions and members of SSOCIA
€150
Conference Excursion
Wednesday 25th September - Half day
- Excursion to the visitors centre at the ESRANGE Rocket Launch Centre and the Sami (indigenous) Open Air Museum at Jukkasjärvi,
- traditional Northern Swedish dinner (included).
€170
After Conference Excursion
Thursday, 26th September - Full day
- Visit and guided tour to Kiruna mine
- Lunch on the way
- Excursion to Abisko. Visit to Abisko canyon, Sami camp and Nature Centre
- Possibility for dinner in Abisko (not included)
- Possibility to watch Northern Lights (weather permitting)